This Week's Leaders in Chit Chat

Birthday surprise for BF?

BF's birthday is coming up on Friday. After wracking my brain to come up with gift ideas I had nothing, so I made him tell me exactly what he wanted. He sent me links to Amazon to buy a weight lifting belt kinda thing and a compression shirt. So I ordered them and - SURPRISE - turns out he had suggested the exact same to his mom and she gave him two of the shirts last weekend. He said he didn't really have use for a third one, I was annoyed about it so he said he would give one back to his mom for her to return.

So anyway, BF already knows exactly what I'm going to give him and we had that little tiff about it, which is kind of a bummer. So, I want to do something or give him something additional as a surprise but I can't think of anything. What have you ladies surprised your SO's with? Any ideas would be great.

Re: Birthday surprise for BF?

BF keeps a wishlist going on ThinkGeek, which I'm free to pick from at any point. Last year for his birthday I knitted him a dice bag (he plays mostly d20 systems, including D&D and Pathfinder, and d10 systems including Exalted), got him a set of "weird" dice including d3, d5, d7, d16, and d24, and got him a set of dungeon-generating dice for one-off campaigns. I have no idea what I will do to top that.

I hardly ever surprise FI with gifts because whatever he asks for I'll get him. Last Christmas he wanted an Xbox One and I was able to pre-order it, but I told him that I couldn't get it. So on Christmas morning he was really excited and surprised!

This year for his birthday I might surprise him with a cooking class or something. We're trying to not go crazy for birthdays/holidays this year but that hasn't worked out so far (we're generous to a fault...)

My H is practical and buys stuff when he needs it so it is hard to get him gifts he doesn't already have. I've done tickets to a show/concert a few times (Coldplay, Radiohead, Bears). I did tickets to his favorite comedian last time and that involved an out of state trip (but driveable) so I made it into a scavenger hunt of sorts with small gifts (i.e., put a map of where we were sitting with a little thing of whiskey he loves to drink before the show, put a picture of the hotel we were staying at with snacks he loves to eat in the hotel and a picture of the comedian with the big gift of the tickets at the end). Cheesy but I'm cheesy and he knows it.

Otherwise, what about new technology? Does your BF need a new phone? They have some really cool portable and cordless speakers if your BF is into music (that was part of H's last Christmas present).

I'll be following this thread because I'm stumped this year for H for his birthday (in a month). It is also our anniversary so I'd be willing to spend more than normal and double the gift size but I'm out of ideas and have been for months.

Thanks ladies, y'all have the best ideas. I have some budget constraints since I'll be spending a lot on his birthday dinner, so I'll probably go with his favorite beer, or maybe a gift certificate for him to go out to his favorite bar with friends (I don't like going there) - plus a sweet treat from our favorite bakery.

@Phira - Nope, not horrible, although C and I have chosen to wait. Otherwise that would be my go-to.

@lalalaurita - I like the idea of a gift certificate to his favorite bar! H and I also waited until we got hitched to get it on... you're not alone! although, I was pretty horrible and bought some lacy "pretty" things before we got married and showed it to him, just to tease him a little.

@southernpeach89 We're going to the Orioles this weekend - when are you going to be in Orlando?! Cause @ollie08 and I both live near there and @irishdreamer isn't THAT far away (but a bit further than the whole of us)...plus, FI would totally go to a braves game, haha

I guess, to tell you the truth, I've never had much of a desire to grow facial hair. I think I've managed to play quarterback just fine without a mustache. - Peyton

@Blue- We are going to be flying in late Friday night March 21st and I'm not sure where we are staying yet but we will be there for the weekend...I think we fly out Sunday night on the 23rd. I'll have to ask H what hotel we will be at...I think it's the Hilton since we use our points there.

@Blue&amp;White - lol I'm no Braves fan, but BF and his dad and stepmom are HUGE fans. It's a little ridic. In fact, pretty much all of BF's t-shirts are Braves related or Bears related. I'm just along for the hot dogs and beer!

@southernpeach89 that was worded funny - I KNEW you were a braves fan. I meant that we (FI and I) aren't! I'm a Yankees fan, which makes no one like me haha. But FI is an Os fan, so he's more lovable (except when we play each other.) Both of us are from baseball families, though, so we could be watching little league and still enjoying it @ollie08 I'm way too cheap for hot dogs and beer

Also, Saturday's game is sold out supposedly...boooo

I guess, to tell you the truth, I've never had much of a desire to grow facial hair. I think I've managed to play quarterback just fine without a mustache. - Peyton

@Blue- Booo! Look into Sunday and let me know if y'all get tickets! The Braves are an emotional roller coaster! They get my hopes up during the beginning of the season and then they slump. We usually do well with divisional but then we suck once it comes to playoffs : (

Thanks ladies, y'all have the best ideas. I have some budget constraints since I'll be spending a lot on his birthday dinner, so I'll probably go with his favorite beer, or maybe a gift certificate for him to go out to his favorite bar with friends (I don't like going there) - plus a sweet treat from our favorite bakery.

@Phira - Nope, not horrible, although C and I have chosen to wait. Otherwise that would be my go-to.

@lalalaurita - My curiosity is getting the best of me, so I have to ask. First off, no judgement from me on waiting.

But what I'm wondering is, how do you know that a sexual favor would be your go-to birthday gift if you and your SO have chosen to wait? The fact that you commented "otherwise that would be my go-to" makes it seem like that's normally your go-to, as in, you've given sexual favors as gifts before.... does this mean you chose NOT to wait with a previous SO, or am I reading it wrong...?

I'm just curious, either way I have no judgement. And if it's too personal a question, that's fine, just tell me to mind my own beeswax!

That's correct - I never waited with previous SO's and always ended up regretting it. Same for BF. So, we decided we would wait until we're married. I totally don't mean to come across as being holier-than-thou about it (sorry if I did!) because it's not my business what anyone else chooses, but that's what we feel is right for us.

I say it would be my go-to because I can never think of a good surprise gift and I'm terrible at cooking. But there are a few other things I'm good at if ya know what I mean...